The Ashtabula Disaster (eBook)

Stephen Denison Peet (1831–1914) was an American antiquarian and a prolific writer, particularly known for his contributions to the study of prehistoric Native American mounds and earthworks. His literary pursuits rendered a wealth of scholarly articles and books, illuminating the prehistory of North America. Notably, his work, 'The Ashtabula Disaster', stands apart, chronicling a historical railway tragedy that occurred on December 29, 1876, in Ashtabula, Ohio. This harrowing event resulted in the loss of numerous lives when a train bridge collapsed, plunging the passenger train into the icy river below. Peet's account of the Ashtabula Disaster offers an important contemporaneous narrative that provides insight into the impact of the catastrophe on the local community and the broader implications for railway safety at the time. Beyond his historical account of the disaster, Peet's scholarly endeavors were primarily rooted in ethnology and archaeology. His meticulous studies greatly contributed to the understanding of the Mound Builders, a general term referring to the creators of various prehistoric earthworks across North America. Peet founded and edited 'The American Antiquarian and Oriental Journal,' where he shared his extensive research and collaborated with fellow scholars in the field. His work has been fundamental to the study of ancient societies in the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys, and his writings continue to be referenced by historians and archaeologists exploring the pre-Columbian cultures of these regions.